1989
by hpfanfreak06
Summary: A collection of stories and drabbles inspired by Taylor Swift's album, 1989.
1. Welcome to New York

A/N: I listened to this album so many times, it put the stories in my head, just begging to be written. Before I go to bed, I'm going to write a good portion of the next chapter for my story "I'll Close My Eyes, and I'll See You." Promise it's coming. Meanwhile, enjoy this collection! I have most of them written, and cross your fingers they're all up tomorrow. Reviews are love!

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, or "1989".

-Welcome to New York-

Truth is, he got lucky on his first day. Drove into the city in his old pick up and mostly everything he owned, without a plan. He had about $3500 to his name, saved up from summer jobs he didn't really have to have. His mother inherited every thing his father left when he died, some ski accident up in Colorado with his secretary.

But he knew early on, even as a kid, he didn't want any of it. There was something about being handed so much that made him feel a little less pure. So he left Lima, OH a note for his mother on the kitchen counter.

She never did call.

Anyway, he figured he might find some cheap hotel outside the city, stay there until he found an apartment. But then he stopped at some coffee shop because it looked interesting and he was tired, and there in the window was a bright blue flier asking for a roommate.

He called the number, curious, and this girl answered the phone.

Rachel Berry was her name, all five feet and a couple inches. She was trying to make it on Broadway, without school or any kind of proper training. Just her voice, and some agent she found on the internet. He liked her, she was nice and didn't give him crap when he told her where he came from.

They lived in this giant loft, sectioned off into private areas, with one bathroom and a tiny corner kitchen. He took the space by the window, fit a bed from a local thrift store, a dresser and this crooked desk in his "bedroom."

In the beginning it was just him and Rachel and this guy named Kurt, who was really into fashion and had a boyfriend. He worked at this café with Rachel, where they wore fifty style uniforms and sang a jukebox song every half hour. While he himself spent days working at a local record shop.

They would stay up late eating take out, sharing stories of lives so long ago and waiting for the world to hand them their dreams. It was comforting, fun.

Until Kurt got attacked.

After that, Blaine (the boyfriend) moved in. No one wanted Kurt walking home alone, especially if there were assholes that hurt others because of who they loved.

So there were four.

It took about a year before he realized that Rachel was more than his roommate. He started noticing her hair and how nice it was that she left him his own plate in the fridge when he got home late from work. But, he kept quiet, because roommates and all.

Until he found her crying in her "room" one night after some asshole casting director told her she wasn't pretty enough. She cried on his shoulder while he told her otherwise.

They were closer after that. Not in love, but closer.

Kurt and Blaine moved out before Christmas. They found a safer area (more "friendly" as Blaine called it), and it was just two.

A friend of his from high school, Noah Puckerman, showed up at their doorstep one afternoon. Apparently his mother had given Puck his address. Rachel caved only because they really couldn't afford the rent between the two of them.

They stayed in the city for Christmas. He lugged up a real tree and they decorated it with handmade ornaments and a strand of colored lights. Rachel made the best sugar cookies he had ever tasted.

Puck thought it would be hilarious to put mistletoe in the doorway, and all of them had narrowly avoided it, until Christmas Eve when he helped Rachel take out the trash and well…yeah they kissed.

They were in love after that.

Kisses in corners of used book stores, and arms wrapped around arms.

Rachel got her big break in March. Some musical called "Funny Girl" was being revived and Rachel was their lead. He took her out and they had dinner and he brought flowers and everything. And he doesn't know if there was something in the air that night that gave him courage he didn't know he had, but he asked her to spend the rest of her life with him.

Somehow she said yes.

Life moved fast after that. He and Rachel found their own shoe box apartment and Puck found a girl. The critics loved Rachel and he decided to get a teaching degree.

Every time he steps out into the city, onto a sidewalk covered in pieces of gum and cigarette butts, he feels a new energy. He doesn't stop to think if they'll ever run out.

They all came here alone, found each other through "Roommate Wanted" fliers and empty apartment floors. This city was waiting for them, it's this great, real, true love that doesn't stop changing. He likes being on his toes.


	2. Blank Space

**Author's Note: I wrote this before the video came out. Which told a completely different story. Enjoy!**

"Blank Space"

She has a long list of ex-lovers, each one leaving in a "You're insane."

It's not true, not really, she's a just a diva, knows what she wants. There's a moment where she thinks she'll stay alone for a while. That is until Quinn drags her to this party and she see's him from across the room.

New suit and tie, the dream smile to match.

Walking up to him she knows it's a new line she's delivering.

"So, this either forever, or we'll go down in flames. What do you say?"

When he laughs, she adds him to the empty space on her list.


	3. Style

"Style"

Sometimes she feels like groupie when she's next to him.

Finn's the drummer for New Directions, a recent hit in the teenage pop scene. Catering to girls under twenty. (But she knows Finn has this green notebook, filled with lyrics that say "I love you" in more than just the literal sense. It makes her wonder when he'll break loose.)

Every time they leave through a door, and even if it's into some alley way, hundreds of fans always find them. Sometimes she thinks Finn would rather have one of the many that scream his name at every corner.

She tries to remind herself that she's known him since high school, when they were just them and the world didn't care whether Finn wore boxers or briefs.

And yeah, they've broken up a few times, because being young means just what it says. But coming back was never hard, well it was the last time. When she saw photo's of him with another girl, all smiles and perfect legs.

She really thought it was over, until his step dad was in the hospital and he leaned on her and she knew he would stay forever.

So yeah, sometimes when she wears her red lipstick, and he's got that white t-shirt on, she feels like maybe this is a dream and she's just some fan.

But when people turn their heads, and other girls look jealous, she feels like a rock star.


	4. Out of the Woods

"Out of the Woods"

She doesn't know where he finds it or where it came from. But he takes it out and holds it above them, as they're lying on his couch.

A blinding flash, and then it prints. A murky white, until their faces bleed through and it's full of color.

Staring at it, she wonders if they've made it yet.

* * *

><p>They fall apart the first time right before Christmas.<p>

Things are said and forgiven, and somehow they put it all back together.

In the middle of the living room, the furniture moved, a song about love playing as they danced. His necklace around her neck, swaying along with her.

* * *

><p>He had this red car, shiny and new, like they once were.<p>

Somehow he hits the breaks too soon. Calling her crying on the phone from a stale hospital room.

Twenty stitches and tears.

* * *

><p>She storms out once. Before coming back, when he's asleep in the bed they both picked out.<p>

When the sun came up, they saw it.

A break in the trees, the road in sight.


	5. All You Had To Do Was Stay

"All You Had to Do Was Stay"

There's only so many times she can slam the door, only to open it again.

He left, came back begging for her to take him in. And she would, because when there's something or someone you want, you'll do anything to keep it.

Vases have filled every part of her apartment, in corners under the kitchen sink and barely used tables. Sometimes when the sun comes through the windows, just right, the colors collide and she thinks that maybe what they have is beautiful.

Until she remembers the dried petals resting on the bottom. No color, not really, and certainly no life.

When he comes back the next time, the door stays closed.


	6. Shake it Off

"Shake it Off"

They hate her. The first time she read a negative review, she cried into her pillow for three hours. And while there are plenty of good ones to go around, it's hard to ignore the rest.

But somewhere down the line, after she spent so much time trying to prove to these assholes that she was worth something, she stopped caring.

Smiled at the flashes behind trashcans and kept her head up.

Let them talk.


	7. I Wish You Would

"I Wish You Would"

She's in his car, passenger side, windows down. Some song about love blasting from the speakers.

It's been two years. But somehow she's next to him again, a place still familiar.

Santana left with Brittany, she didn't want to ask him for a ride.

It's awkward, and she knows he thinks she hates him. She could never.

They fought, on the phone at 3am. Screaming and crying and yelling and words.

She hung up, pressed the red button and threw it all away.

When he drops her off, she says thank you, he stares straight ahead, doesn't speak. But the streetlight beams on his face, his eyes say everything.

Later when headlights pass by her window, she starts thinking of him, he doesn't leave her mind, like an itch that can't be scratched.

She stays awake, until dawn breathes through her windows. His number is still in her phone and she knows she can't rest until he knows.

_I don't hate you_

A moment later her phone buzzes.

_I don't hate you either. _

It's not a long conversation, with confessions, and boxes of Kleenex.

But, it's hope.


	8. Bad Blood

She hates him.

At first it was a crushing, puddle on the floor, pint of ice cream hate. Now, when his name is mentioned, her blood boils.

So she feels a bit of vindication when she's sitting in a stunning dress, hearing her name.

The applause follows her up to the stage. And when she looks out on that audience, the deception, the heart break, and the raw eggs just don't matter.

Jesse St. James can suck it.

(The image of him fuming in front of a television in Lima (she heard he's only been cast in chorus parts, locally of course) is pretty fantastic.)


End file.
